


A New Dream

by yourbfbucky



Category: Captain America (Movies), Disney - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Disney, Multi, Tangled (2010) References
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-28
Updated: 2015-12-29
Packaged: 2018-05-09 22:19:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5557655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yourbfbucky/pseuds/yourbfbucky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the kingdom's most-wanted bandit, Natasha Romanov (aka Black Widow), hides in a convenient tower, she immediately becomes a captive of a man only known as The Soldier, the spire's longtime resident. Enhanced by a metal arm and a mysterious tolerance for pain, the man strikes a deal with Natasha, and together they begin a whirlwind adventure as he discovers the world for the first time, and who he really is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Spider, a Dog, and a Tower

“This… is the story of how I died. But don’t worry! This is actually a very great story and in fact, it isn’t even mine. This is the story about a boy named James. But don’t call him that, no one would know who you’re talking about. I met him as Bucky. And our story starts, with a star.

“Once upon a time, a very long time ago, on a dark and stormy night a star fell. Now some people say a lightning bolt struck the earth, or it was a meteor- but I like to say a star fell from the sky and came to the earth. And what was left was a beautiful blue stone. It had the ability to heal the sick and injured.

“Centuries passed, and a hop skip and a boat ride away there grew a kingdom. The kingdom was ruled by a beloved King and Queen, and they had a baby boy. The prince was young, wide eyed and adored by all. Brave, intrepid, brilliant, he would make a fine ruler. 

“But he was small, and sickly. And one winter, he got so bad that the doctors were giving up, saying there was nothing more they could do.That’s when people usually start to look for a miracle. 

“Or in this case, a magic blue stone.  But you see, instead of sharing the star’s gift, a man named Arnim Zola discovered how to distill the stone’s power into liquid form, keeping himself young for hundreds of years. It was an intensive process, and this guy wasn’t all that fun to be around. Very creepy, very scary. 

“But thankfully, someone believed in the legend of the stone. An orphan working as a palace stablehand. I’ll give you a hint: that’s Bucky. He and the prince were best friends, and Bucky knew the stone was Steve’s last chance. So he stole a horse, and raced off to find it.

“After many days of searching, Bucky reached a cottage deep in the woods, where he watched Zola use the serum to heal a cut. Bucky waited for Zola to fall asleep before he snuck in and snatched a vial of serum. He spurred his horse to a gallop back to the kingdom, triumphant and relieved that he had saved his friend. 

“But little did he know that he was being followed…

“The magic of the serum not only healed the prince, but made him stronger. He could breathe better, see better. His eyes changed from a dull and foggy to a brilliant bright blue. The entire kingdom rejoiced… all but one. The Royal Advisor, Alexander Pierce, who had followed Bucky from the moment he had heard about the power of the stone. 

“To celebrate the prince’s new health, the King and Queen launched a flying lantern into the sky, as a thank you to the stars. And for that one moment, everything was perfect.

“And then that moment ended. The royal advisor, Alexander Pierce, kidnapped Bucky, taking him to Zola’s cottage. There they made a deal. A human test subject for Zola’s experiments, for a partnership to share the serum’s power. Steve ordered the guards to search and search, but they could not find Bucky. For deep within the forest, in a hidden tower, Bucky was beginning to forget who he was. And they were determined to keep him hidden...”

 

★

 

It was always dark. That was what the Soldier knew. Dark, and cold. He had one command: When there were two knocks, he had to open the window, let down the rope, and pull the Commander or the Doctor up. Or both. 

He kept a schedule: 

0700: Stretches and exercise. Work with the right side, test the movement of the right. Report any damage to the machinery to the Doctor.

0800: Breakfast (whatever the Doctor had left behind)

0830: Another set of stretches and exercise. Work with the right side, test the movement of the right. Report any damage to the machinery to the Doctor.

1000: Wait for the Commander or the Doctor. This would be when tests were run. They varied day to day. If nobody showed up, he would stretch and work and pace. 1815: Sleep.

But sometimes... he would open the window. And he would watch the blue sky. The birds, the sun. The stars, if he was lucky. The cool night air would blow on his face and he would close his eyes and imagine being out of the tower. Imagine being free. 

Today, the Soldier was sitting, his mind blank as he waited for the signal. His breath steady, in-out, in-out. If he was good, maybe today wouldn’t hurt. Maybe the Commander wouldn’t come today--

Knock-knock. 

 

★★

 

“Widow! You ready?” a man with impressive scars on his face and arms hissed. Natasha Romanoff, legendary thief, nodded as she tightened the rope around her waist. She and two thugs were on the roof of the palace, crouched carefully around a skylight into the throne room. 

“Try not to drop me this time, Rumlow.” 

“Oh you can’t let that go, can you?” Brock Rumlow, thug, gritted his teeth into a smile as he took up the ropes. The veins in his suntanned arms bulged, and he rolled his head to crack his neck. “Batroc, you got this?” Georges Batroc, a balding man with extremely large biceps nodded, holding open the skylight. Natasha pushed up the sleeves of her blouse. 

“Let’s go, boys.” She slipped in, letting the rope carry her down to the pedestal where the crown of the future king sat. As silent as a spider she reached down and plucked the crown from where it sat. After carefully putting it in her bag, she tugged on the rope, and it began to rise up out of the throne room. 

The plan was perfect. Steal the crown, get paid, part ways. But one guard had a sense, just a tiny feeling, and turned around. And see the empty pedestal, and the beautiful woman rising out of the room. 

Peter Parker, appointed throne room guard, cried out, “Hey, wait!” making Natasha, the Black Widow, flinch and swiftly climb back up the rope. 

“Come on!” Rumlow snarled, cutting the rope and gathering their supplies. Batroc leaped over the edge of the roof, with Rumlow and Natasha right behind. 

 

★★★

 

The Soldier stood with no hesitation. He pushed the window open, and reached out for the lever with his left hand. His arm whirred slightly with effort, and the rope ladder descended. He stepped back into the light, tilted his head down, and waited. 

“Well done, Soldier.” The Commander smiled. “How you manage to do that every single day without fail, it looks exhausting.” The Soldier tilted his head to one side, trying to determine a response. The Commander frowned, the Soldier must have taken too long. “Well. Doctor Zola will arrive at oh-100-hours. He’s going to give you a physical and then we’re going to decide the course of action for today.”

“Yes sir,” the Soldier nodded once. 

 

★★★★

 

The thieves burst into the forest, sprinting away from the kingdom. 

“This way!” Rumlow changed direction. Natasha felt a growl in the back of her throat and followed. She put a hand to her bag, making sure the crown was still there. Rumlow slowed down and they all stopped, catching their breath and doubled over.   
“Oh no,” Rumlow said. Natasha’s head snapped up and she looked around. “Oh no no no no no no no no, this is bad, this is very very bad, this is really bad…” Rumlow tore down a wanted poster and held it up for them to see. It was of Rumlow, but crudely drawn. “They just can’t get my nose right!” he cried out.

“Casse-toi!” Batroc snapped. 

“Who cares?” Natasha grumbled.

“Well it’s easy for you to say! You _always_ look amazing.” Rumlow winked at Natasha and she rolled her eyes.

“You’re a pig,” she said, pushing the hair out of her face. All three of them snapped to attention as the neighs of horses reached them.  

“Come on!” Rumlow led the way. Natasha kept a tight hold on the bag. “There’s a way through-”

“Merde!” Batroc spat. They had ran into a trap of nature- cliff faces on all three sides and the sound of the guards nearby. 

“Okay,” Natasha said, stepping forward and looking around. “Give me a boost, and I’ll pull you up.”  Rumlow and Batroc exchanged a look.

“Give us the satchel first, sweetheart,” said Rumlow.

“What?” Natasha looked betrayed and aghast. “I can’t believe that after all we’ve been through together, and you don’t trust me?” The thugs didn’t flinch. “Ouch.” She rolled her eyes and handed over the bag with the crown.

Batroc stood bottom, and Rumlow clambered onto his shoulders. Natasha scrambled up, smirking as she made it to the top. 

“Now help us up, beautiful,” Rumlow said, reaching his hand up.

“Sorry,” Natasha said, standing up and looking back down at them. “My hands are full.” She held up the satchel she had gently lifted off of Rumlow’s back. 

“What?!” Rumlow shouted. Natasha began to run, followed by the scream of, “ROMANOFF!!!”

 

★★★★★

 

Sam Wilson, Sergeant of the King’s Guard lead the chase on horseback. “Retrieve that crown at any cost!” he shouted to his troops.

“Yes sir!” they all replied in unison. 

Clint Barton, famous for his skill in archery, whistled to his dog. “Come on, Lucky!” 

“Barton!” Sam shouted. “With me!” 

The Black Widow, the most infamous thief the kingdom had seen in years ran without faltering. As she leaped over a massive fallen tree, Clint grinned and called out, “Did’ya see that, Sam? She’s incredible!”

“An incredible pain in my ass!” Sam grumbled, spurring his horse on. “Follow right behind!” Sam timed it right, and his horse gracefully flew over the fallen tree. Clint followed suit, his horse barely stumbling and Lucky scrambling after them. The rest of the troops weren’t so lucky, their horses stopping in front of the tree. 

“We got her now, Sam!” Clint whooped, pulling an arrow from his quiver. 

“Don’t kill her!” Sam shouted.

“I’m not going to! I’m just gonna--” Clint was cut off by the Widow leaping for a vine. She swung around a nearby tree, timing it just perfectly to fly straight into him and knock him off his horse. She grabbed the saddle and reins and continued the horse’s gallop. 

“Oh shit!” Sam shouted. He drew his pistol, cocking it. 

“Yah!” the Widow spurred the horse. Lucky jumped and snapped at her heel. “Down, boy!” she snapped. 

“Black Widow! Hand over the bag!” Sam demanded. “Don’t make me shoot you!” She glanced backwards at him, her steely eyes measuring him up while Sam’s eyes narrowed.

“Yah!” The trees were beginning to clear. Suddenly the Widow pulled back on the reins and stopped her horse. Sam blew past her and almost fell straight down off a cliff. 

“WOAH!” he pulled back on the reins so hard his horse whinnied out of fright. Natasha slipped off her horse, running to the edge and looking down. 

“What are you gonna do?!” Sam panted, keeping the pistol in his hand. “Jump?!”

“I’ll figure it out,” the Widow grinned. Suddenly Lucky burst out of the bushes, lunging for the satchel. The Widow stepped backwards quickly, too quickly, and fell. Lucky didn’t stop in time, and fell along with her. 

“No!” Sam ran forward, but couldn’t see to the bottom. “Lucky!” he shouted, trying to hear something, _anything_.

“Lucky?!” Clint burst through the trees, panting and covered in dirt. “Where’s my dog?!”

“He--” Sam uncocked his pistol. “We have to find them.”

 

★★★★★★

 

“Shit. Shit. Shit.” Natasha slid and rolled as much as she could, letting her limbs go as limp as possible. There was a loud popping noise that made her cry out. “Shit!” Finally the world was still. 

Natasha looked up at the sky as her head stopped spinning. The satchel was still there, clutched in her hand. The crown was still there. Her right shoulder was out of place. It was still early in the day. Everything hurt. 

There was a high pitched whining. Natasha lifted her head to see a dog- the guard’s dog- lying nearby. It had a couple scratches, but it looked fine. 

“You… gonna get me, dog?” Natasha managed to wheeze out as she sat up. The dog lifted its head, seemingly to notice Natasha for the first time. It growled half-heartedly, but then chuffed and put his head down. “Nasty fall, huh?” It patted its tail on the ground. Natasha got on her knees and stood slowly, trying not to move her right arm. “Look, we’re gonna have--” a branch snapped, and Natasha immediately went into cover. The dog whimpered, and stood up and limped over to Natasha’s side behind the bush. She put a finger to her lips, and the dog laid back down. 

A man in a cloak and hood strode quickly in the opposite direction. Natasha waited until she couldn’t hear his footsteps anymore, then looked down at the dog.   
“I think the guard called you Lucky,” she said. “And you must be. Come on, let’s go see where he just came from. Maybe there’s a house.” Lucky snuffled and they both stood up together and walked slowly in the direction the man came. Lucky tracked the scent, leading Natasha to a familiar sight of that day: a wall of stone, this one covered in ivy vines. 

“He did  _ not _  come out of that wall… did he?” Natasha asked Lucky, stumbling forward and putting a hand out to catch herself. The ivy vines parted like a curtain at her touch, and she nearly fell again. Lucky nudged her leg and she half-smiled, half-grimaced out of pain. “Let’s see where this goes.”

Through the tunnel under the stone wall, and Lucky and Natasha found themselves in a beautiful clearing. Completely surrounded by stone cliffs, it was as if it had been carved and sealed off from the world. And there in the center, was a tower. Natasha looked down at Lucky. “Let’s go.” They hobbled over to the tower as silently as they could, and when they reached the door at the bottom Natasha reached out and pulled on the handle. “Locked. Fine. We’ll knock,” she whispered. 

Something dropped to the ground behind them, making them whirl around. It was a ladder. Natasha looked down at Lucky, and shrugged with her good shoulder. “Might as well. But I can't carry you up, you should go lay down under a bush somewhere. I'll come find you when I know it's safe.”

Lucky snuffled and limped toward a big shady looking bush. Natasha gritted her teeth, and took up the ladder with one hand and began to climb. It was slow, long, and painful. Finally when she reached the top, she swung her legs over the window ledge and slipped inside. The sunlight barely cut into the dusty gloom of the tower room, and she held her good arm up and out in greeting. 

“Hello? I’m sorry to disturb, I just need a place to hide…” One of the larger dark shadows moved. “for a moment…” she continued, trying to keep her voice steady. “Would you please come into the light?” Natasha’s breath hitched as a man stood in front of her, the sunlight glinting off his left shoulder. “Oh...hi…” His arm struck out quickly, and everything went dark. 

  
★★★★★★★

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, many many thanks to my [Hawkguy](http://hawkguyspizza.tumblr.com/) for the concept that I've been running with!
> 
> Comments and kudos are my favorite things in the world <3 Love you all! Thanks for reading!


	2. The Soldier, The Thief, and The Prince

The Soldier caught the woman’s limp body, looking over the details. She wore all black; a fitted vest over a blouse, her trousers dirtied at the knees and her boots had been repaired multiple times. She had a satchel, and the Soldier found light colored animal hairs on her pants. Her red hair was short, and the Soldier caught himself brushing it away from her pale face. 

The ladder made a clunking noise as the machinery reeled it in, and the Soldier closed the window. He didn’t know what to do. Was this a test? Was this some trick from the Commander? An experiment from the Doctor? The Soldier shook his head. He had to do something, before the Doctor came. He had to hide her. 

The bed. Under his bed. They never went near it. He had hid hurt birds under there, that if the Doctor or the Commander saw, they would kill them. And he would be punished. She was just another bird. He carried her to the bed, and set her down gently. She groaned slightly, and he noticed a bony bulge by her right shoulder. He recognized the dislocation, and remembered fixing them on himself. He could help her. 

Propping her back up on his chest, he lifted her arm up and bent it up at the elbow. He then turned it so that it was facing away from them, with her hand sticking out to the side rather than in front. He slowly rotated it upwards. Then he took her wrist and lifted her arm straight up. The shoulder slipped in with a crunching pop. He tested the mobility. It seemed to work, but she was still unconscious. 

The Soldier reached for his sheet. He tore two long strips of fabric from the end and used one to gently tie her wrists together, then one around her mouth. He placed the satchel on the bed before gently lifting and setting her underneath the bed. She was small enough that her feet wouldn’t be seen from the door. He opened the satchel, and reached inside. The gold of the crown clinked with the metal of his fingers. It was engraved with stars, and blue sapphires embellished the gold. The Soldier furrowed his brow. What was this? 

Two knocks. The Soldier flinched, and stuffed the crown back in the bag. He slipped the bag under the bed and strode quickly to the lever. Everything had to appear normal.

The Doctor was here.

 

★★★★★★★★

 

Natasha groaned slightly. Her eyes were unfocused, and she blinked rapidly. Her shoulder didn’t hurt anymore, and she reached up to feel it to find her wrists were bound in cloth.  

“Struggling is pointless,” an accented voice said, making her freeze. “We’re testing your reaction to stimuli in your left shoulder. Just hold still.”

“Yes, sir.”

There was a buzzing sound and then a cry of pain. Natasha closed her eyes, trying not to breathe. The cry got louder, until it was a scream. 

“Good, good, very good.” the man said. “I think that is all for today, Soldier.” She heard something fall to the floor. “Let me down, and I will see you tomorrow.”

“Yes, sir.” There was a sound of metal clanking, and Natasha forced down a shudder as she heard the second set of footsteps get quieter and depart. She slid out from under the bed, and pulled her mouth gag off, slipping her hands out of the cloth restraints easily. 

“There has to be a way out of here,” she murmured, turning to look around the small bedroom.

“There’s not.” A deep gravelly voice came from the doorway. “There’s the lever. And only I can pull the lever.” Natasha turned around and looked over at her captor. A massive man, wearing a bloody white shirt and black pant stood barefoot in the doorway. His long dark hair went down below his chin, and his stubble was thick. A shadow crossed over his eyes. 

“With your arm?” Natasha gestured. His left hand made a slight sound as he wiggled his silver fingers. 

The man nodded. “Who are you? And how did you find me?” the man stepped forward, making Natasha step back. “Who are you, and how did you find me?” he repeated, enunciating.

“My name is Natasha Romanoff. I was in a situation, running through the forest. I came across your tower and…” Her eyes flickered around the room.  “Where is my satchel?” she asked, her heart fluttering in her chest. 

“Here.” The man bent down and picked it up from under the bed. Natasha clenched her jaw. 

“Can I ha-” her question was cut off by the man asking,

“Who else knows my location, Natasha Romanoff?”

“No one, I was alone.” The dog didn’t count.

“What do you want with me?”

“Look, the only thing I want to do is get out of your hair, take my bag, and be on my way. I just needed a place to rest and pop my shoulder in, which… already seems to be taken care of.”

“Yes. Is it okay?” 

Natasha was taken aback by the question and furrowed her brow. “My arm?” 

“Yes.”

“Yeah, it’s fine.” 

“Good.” 

Natasha cleared her throat, running a hand through her hair. 

“Are you… telling the truth?” the man asked, his head tilted to one side. Natasha was reminded of the dog down at the bottom of the tower.

“Y-yes.” 

The man had a cloudy expression. Natasha’s eyes flicked around the room. She could take him… maybe… but he had his strength, and she hadn’t been able to even try her shoulder out.

“Okay,” the man finally spoke. “Natasha, I’m prepared to offer you a deal.”

“A deal?” Natasha asked. 

“Look,” the man reached under the bed and lifted it above his head. Natasha flinched backwards, then looked at the ground. There, etched in the wood were pictures. Stars, trees, animals. Birds. And in the center there was a scene of the night sky, with small stars, and a group of bigger-looking stars. “Do you know what these are?” the man murmured. “They come once a year.”

“The lanterns? For the prince?” Natasha asked, looking up at him. The man nodded slowly.

“I knew they weren’t stars…” he seemed to say to himself. He set the bed back down, and brushed off his hands.  “I wish to see them. Once, in person. You will guide me to the lanterns, and then back here.” The man turned and walked into the other room. Natasha followed behind, folding her arms. 

“You can’t possibly want to stay here… do you?”

“This is my home,” the man said. “Where would I go?”

“Anywhere?” Natasha smiled a little. “I mean, if you’re a masochist I understand but that didn’t sound like--”

“I’m not,” he broke her off. “I’m not allowed to leave.”

“What would happen to you?”

The man looked at her, rubbing the back of his neck. “...I don’t know. I don’t think I’ve ever tried.”

“They fly tomorrow. I’ll take you there, be your guide. You keep me safe, because the kingdom and I aren’t on the greatest of terms right now, then you can choose whether or not to come back.” Natasha smiled a little. “But I like you, Muscles. I don’t think you should stay here.”

The man glared. “You just want your bag back.”

“No. I…” Natasha hesitated. “I’ve been in a situation like yours before. I think everyone deserves a chance.” The man folded his arms, glowering at the floor. “Look, you don’t have to--” Natasha was interrupted again.

“What brought you here?”

“Lucky, I guess,” she deadpanned. 

“Hmph.”

Natasha shrugged, and smirked a little. The man put the satchel around his chest. 

“I’ll hold on to this for a little while.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, Muscles.”

“Soldier. Just call me the Soldier.”

“That’s your name?”

“I think so.”

Natasha’s brow creased and her smile faltered as he walked over to the window and opened it. Then he walked to one of the cabinets, packing things inside of the satchel. His big frame obscured Natasha’s view of what exactly he was bringing before he closed the bag and walked over to the big lever on the wall opposite the window. He pulled hard, grunting a little with effort. The gears grinded, and the rope ladder descended.

The Soldier grunted, and gestured with his head toward the window. “It’s timed. You have to hurry, and I’ll try to follow behind.”

“Try to?”  
“When I take my hand off the lever, the ladder is going to come back up, fast. It’s too far of a fall for me.”

“Hmm.” Natasha put a hand on her chin, thinking. “Why don’t I hold onto the lever, you climb down, I jump, you catch me?”

The Soldier was silent.

“I can hold it down. You underestimate me,” she walked over. “You push it, I’ll hold it down so you can reach the ground. Come on, Soldier.”

That seemed to trigger something within him. The Soldier nodded, and Natasha put her hands on the lever, readying herself. The Soldier looked at her, she nodded, and he took his hands off the lever. The pressure was immense, and Natasha flinched but held steady. 

“Go!” Natasha growled behind gritted teeth. “Go, go!” The Soldier hesitated, looking at his hands before striding to the windowsill. He stepped over the ledge, and began to climb down the ladder. Natasha’s arms started shaking, the lever was pressing so hard on her. 

And 73 feet below the tower, the Soldier stood up straight. He breathed in the air. He wiggled his toes in the grass. He felt the breeze on his whole body. 

He was free.

“Hello?” Natasha called out through the window. “Are you on the ground?”

“Yes!”

“Finally,” Natasha rolled her eyes and blew the hair out of her eyes. “Okay I’m letting go!” She released the lever and staggered backwards as it jerked upwards. Running to the ledge, she saw the ascending ladder and the Soldier with his arms out down below. She climbed to the final rung, and took in a deep breath as the ladder kept rising. 

“Let it go!” the Soldier called out. Natasha released her grip, and fell.

The wind was knocked out of her, making her gasp as the Soldier caught her. “It’s like you’re made of steel.” The Soldier grunted and set her down. Natasha brushed off her vest and rolled up her sleeves as the Soldier looked up at the window. 

“I can’t believe I did this,” he murmured. 

“C’mon, Muscles. Let’s go.”

 

★★★★★★★★★

 

A steady two “thunk-thunk” and a dull slap of metal on glove echoed through the encampment over and over again. The others had gotten used to Prince Steven’s “target practice.” He would find two trees in an angle next to each other, and then throw his famous shield. The shield, rumoured to be made out of fallen stars, would hit the trees, bounce, and return to Steve’s gloved hand. 

“Prince Steven!” an accented voice cut through the pattern. Steve caught the shield, and hooked it on the straps his back. A tall, lithe man strode quickly to him, carrying a letter.

“Falsworth,” Steve greeted him. “Have you heard news from the kingdom?”

“Yes. From your advisors.” Falsworth pointed at the letter, a smirk on his face. “They recommend you return home, seeing as how your coronation is in three days time. The ball is in two, and the lantern festival as well. The kingdom requires your presence for a celebration dedicated to you, sir.”

“Fine,” Steve rolled his neck. “Let’s return home.”

“Are we going home, sir?” a large man with a round hat grinned, poking his head out of his tent. 

“Yes, Dum Dum. We’re going home.”

“Sir, there’s more news,” Falsworth followed at the prince’s side. 

“What now? Does Pierce has more criticism of my hunting trips?”

“No, sir. It’s about your father’s--  _your_  crown, sir.”

“What of it?” Steve asked.

“It’s been stolen.” 

Steve stopped in his tracks, clenching his fists. “Commandos!” he shouted. “We are returning, immediately!” There was the sound of scurrying as Steve’s group of guards cleaned up their campsite, loading their horses with urgency. “To the Kingdom!” Steve shouted, mounting his horse with the smoothest grace. 

“To the Kingdom!” the Commandos echoed, mounting their horses and following their leader home.

  
★★★★★★★★★★

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has not been beta-d, any mistakes are entirely researched and made by myself! 
> 
> I am not a medical professional, please don't try to pop in a dislocated shoulder using this fic as a reference!
> 
> Kudos and comments are my favorite emails to receive <3 Thanks for reading!


	3. A Bar, a Lover, and a Dam Flood

“Lucky!” Natasha called out before they left the tower’s valley. The dog had disappeared. Natasha frowned, and the Soldier looked at her with a furrowed brow.

“Why are you yelling?”

“There was a dog-- nevermind.” Natasha muttered. It was probably best that they didn’t have a palace dog with them.

After walking for hours, the Soldier surveying every part of his new surroundings while Natasha led the way in the direction of the kingdom. Every once and awhile he would grunt, then ask a question. 

(“Hmph.” 

“Yes?” 

“What are those?”

“Deer.”

A short while later… 

“Hmph.”

“Yes?”

“What is this?”

“A weeping willow tree.”

“Does it cry?”

“No.”

“Hmph.”)

“Are you hungry?” Natasha asked. “Do you even get hungry?”

The Soldier was silent. 

“Well, I am. And I know there’s a great place somewhere here…” she took them down a different trail path, following the smell of a fireplace until they reached a 

“I know it’s around here, somewhere…” Natasha pondered, looking around. “Ah, there it is, the Snuggly Duckling!” She gave the Soldier a sly smile. “Don’t worry, it’s a very quaint place, perfect for you.” 

The Soldier grunted again. 

“Especially with all that blood on your shirt. Don’t worry, you’ll fit in.” Natasha smoothed her hair and cracked her knuckles.

Several horses were tied up out front, and there was a barrel with a ruffed up dog laying out front. A sign on the barrel read, “drop ALL weapons here.” The soldier glanced inside to see one rusty dagger and a handful of bullets. 

“Just don’t start any fights.” Natasha murmured before opening the door. A pool of conversation and deep voices came from inside. The Soldier blinked to adjust to the light, and took in the near-full pub. Natasha wrinkled her nose. “Luke! What the hell man, it smells so bad in here.”

“You gonna judge?” Luke Cage, previous grunt for hire now “reformed” bartender smiled wide at her. “You’re the one who chose to come here.”

“Touche,” Natasha smiled back. “Where’s Jessica?”

“Probably stopping a fight or picking one. It’s a 50-50 chance,” Luke said, shrugging as he cleaned a glass. “Who’s your friend?” 

“More like a client.” Natasha sat down at the bar, while the Soldier stood behind and took in the room. 

“I thought you didn’t do that anymore,” Luke frowned. 

“Not _that_ ,” Natasha clarified. “I’m taking him to the kingdom, he needed a guide and I wanted some muscle on my side.”  
“Rumor has it you _need_  it.” A gravelly voice made Natasha smile even wider. Jessica Jones, in her signature style of last week’s pants and a comfortable blouse joined her husband behind the bar. “Did you really steal the--?”

“Shhhh,” Natasha shushed her. “Don’t need to start a commotion, do we? Besides, rumors are only rumors.”

“Hmm,” Jessica sized up the Soldier. “Where’d you find him?”

“In a dark corner,” Natasha glanced back at the Soldier. “Can I get some supplies for the trip? A little bit of food, a glass of water for now- and I’ll owe you a big favor if we can get him a new shirt and some shoes.”

“I’ll handle it,” Jessica said, filling a glass with water. “Tell your friend to take a seat, I’ll rummage around in the back and see what we got.” 

“Thanks.” Natasha took a sip of water.

“You know your reward could be very welcoming to a lot of people in here…” Luke bent over and murmured. 

Natasha frowned. “I know. _I_  could use the money.”

“Your own reward money?” he laughed. “I’d love to see you sneak your way out of that, Widow.”

“Look, I’m this guy’s guide to the kingdom for a bit. And he definitely needs some more… not bloody clothes.”

“Jessica will find something.”

The Soldier sat down next to her, pulling his left sleeve over his hand. 

“Can I get you something to drink?” the man behind the counter asked, making the Soldier looked up. 

“Yes please,” he said, his voice gravelly.   
“Luke!” A man called out, his face obscured by a red hood. “Get my new friend here a pint of your Power Brew! He looks like he needs one.” The Soldier looked over at the man, who grinned at him. Only the mouth and chin were visible, and they were covered with raised white scars and scabs. The rest of his face was covered with a red and black mask. “Hi, how ya doin’? The name’s Wade. Or _el piscina de la muerta_ if you’re into that.” 

“What?” the Soldier said. 

“Where’re you from?” the man asked.

“Ignore him,” a deep gravelly voice said on the masked man’s other side. A burly man with large sideburns and thick arm hair took a long swig of his drink. 

“Hey! I’m trying to talk to this guy here,” Wade said indignantly. “Don’t interrupt the process!” 

The man snorted. “What process?” 

“Just because you have the perfect guy, Wolfie, doesn’t mean we all are happy!” 

The man choked on his drink, coughing and spluttering. “You-- shut--”

“Logan, are you alright?” There was no shortage of large muscular men in the place, it seemed. But this one wore no shirt, but a green tunic. Like the soldier, his feet were bare.

“Y-yeah, Herc. I’m ok.”

“Oooooooooooh save him, Hercules!” Wade giggled. “Save poor Logan!” 

“Quit it, Wade, or else you’re gonna get a fist in your stomach.”  
“Bring it on! Wait hold on I never got your name, cutie.” 

“I’m--”

“Natasha freakin’ Romanoff,” a man in a long red coat came up and slid in between the Soldier and the Black Widow. 

“Oh look,” Natasha smirked, taking a sip of her water. “It’s  _ Star Prince _ .”

“Star  _ Lord _ , sweetheart,” he smiled. “Luke, another round for me, the lady, and--” he looked the Soldier up and down. “Is that blood in your shirt?”

The Soldier grunted, watching the “Starlord” from behind his hair. 

“Hey, Quill! I saw him first!” Wade said, grabbing the Soldier’s bicep. The Soldier jerked backwards, knocking the stool to the ground and ripping his arm out of Wade’s grasp. 

“Alright, Wilson, back off,” Natasha said carefully.

“Hey! He’s cute and I’m lonely!” he cried out, throwing his hand over his eyes dramatically. “Am I the only one who still believes in love?”

“He’s not your type, Wilson,” Natasha folded her arms. 

“Yeah, but  _ this _  is,” Quill reached into his satchel and pulled out a wanted poster for Widow. “Look, I like you Natasha, but I need some cash. You know how it is.”

“Look, we can work this out--” Natasha began before Peter was suddenly jerked backwards and upwards, as the Soldier picked him up by the collar. He moved smoothly, walking over quickly and slamming Quill up against a wall, making the bar go quiet as they watched.

“Put me down!” Quill barked out.

“Gentlemen, please!” Luke shouted. 

“Leave us alone,” the Soldier growled. 

“Alright big guy, what are you gonna do?” Quill taunted. The Soldier let go with one hand, still easily holding him up. He drew back a closed fist, his eyes narrow and focused. 

“Oh no,” Quill started to struggle. “Not the nose, not the nose, not the nose!”

“Soldier!” Natasha’s voice rang out. “Put him down!”

There was silence. 

The Soldier flinched, then he let go. Quill dropped to the floor. The Soldier turned around, looking at who had been watching. 

“I don’t know where I am,” he started quietly, finding his voice, “and I need her to take me to the Kingdom. So leave us alone.” There was another pause as people exchanged glances and murmurs. 

“Maaaaaan!” Wade jumped up, pointing at the Soldier. “It’s his dream, you guysl! Look at how cute that is!”

It was that moment when Jessica Jones kicked open the cellar door, carrying a large basket. “Alright, big guy. Let’s see what we got here,” she said before looking around at the situation: Quill shakily standing up, the audience around Natasha, Wade and the Soldier. “What did I miss?”

 

★★★★★★★★★★★

 

Jessica quickly broke up the crowd, making sure Peter Quill had a large drink in his hand before gently putting a hand on the Soldier’s arm. He flinched.

“C’mon. Let’s go see if these clothes fit. Is that okay?” she asked carefully.

The Soldier paused. “...Yes.”

“Okay, let’s go,” she said, turning and walking up the stairs. The Soldier looked at Natasha. 

“I’m not going anywhere,” she said, holding up her hands. “Go get some new clothes.”

The Soldier looked at her carefully, then grunted. 

“Do you want me to come?” Natasha asked. The Soldier nodded, turning and following Jessica up the stairs. 

“You don’t seem like a talker,” Jessica said, opening the door at the top. “Please, come inside.”  The Soldier stepped inside, with Natasha behind. 

“First off, I think some new pants are needed.” Jessica set the box down on the couch. “If you’re shy you can… never mind.” The Soldier was already stripping off the trousers, stepping out of them and putting his hands behind his back. “Okay, I think these might fit you. They were left behind by another traveler, and they’re not in bad shape,” Jessica said, handing the black pants to the Soldier. He slipped them on, fumbling with the button slightly. Natasha carefully noted the faded scars on his muscled calves, the slight puckers on his toes. But she kept her head up, respectfully. 

“Are you okay to take your shirt off?” Jessica asked, holding up a fresh new one. The Soldier flinched ever-so-slightly, and he reached up behind him and pulled off the bloodstained cloth. 

Natasha’s eyes flickered over the skin. Covered in fading marks, but obviously healed, were marks of torture. She knew them by heart. But what was more startling was his left arm. It wasn’t human. Something mechanic, that barely made a noise as it moved. It was a dull but still shiny silver. It made up his shoulder to his fingertips, and the skin around it was raised and scarred white. “What happened to you?” she breathed. The Soldier’s nostrils flared and he gritted his jaw. 

“Nothing,” he grunted. 

“Here,” Jessica said gently, holding out the shirt. The Soldier grabbed it, slipping it on quickly. It was a deep blue, so dark it was almost black, but the Soldier’s blue eyes were accented by it. Jessica handed him a leather vest, dyed black. The soldier laced it up as Jessica rummaged through the box. “I have some socks here, and you have to wear boots.”

“Do you have a glove?” The Soldier asked. Jessica nodded and tossed him a left hand glove. He slipped it on, and both women noticed the visible lowering of his tense shoulders. “Thank you,” he murmured. He had never said that before. 

“You haven’t been in control for a while, have you?” Jessica asked. The Soldier’s eyes flashed, and Natasha tensed up. “I know what being out of control of yourself looks like. I’ve been there. Luke has been there.” Jessica’s eyes flicked to Natasha, but without a sign of encouragement continued on. “You made it out alive. That’s no small feat. Why?”

“Why?” the Soldier tilted his head to the side, puzzled. 

“What was your reason?” Jessica handed him a pair of striped socks. “Mine was the wanting to never hurt anyone again. I was forced to hurt people… including myself. And I just dreamed to never, ever hurt anyone again.”

“You dreamed?”

“Don’t you?”

“I don’t know,” the Soldier murmured. Jessica furrowed her brows empathetically. 

“Put on these boots,” she said. “Then come with me.” The Soldier slipped on simple black boots, and followed Jessica Jones out onto the stair landing. 

“Wade!” she shouted out. “What’s your dream?” 

“Oh Jessie, baby, I thought no one would ever ask!” Wade crowed. Logan and quite a view others flipped Jessica off, but she just murmured to the soldier,

“Watch.”

“Murdock! Play me a tune!” Wade cried out, jumping up onto the stage. There were a couple boos, but he waved them off before clearing his throat to get the pub’s attention. 

“A Song, by Wade-Wilson-slash-Deadpool,” he announced loudly before beginning to sing:

"I’ve got scars and lumps and bruises!/Plus something here that oozes,/And let’s not even mention my complexion./But despite my extra toes,” he winked. “/And my goiter and my nose/I really want to make a love connection!/” He swooned into Logan’s chest, who grunted and pushed him off. “Can’t you see me with a special little someone?/Rowing in a rowboat down the stream?/Though I’m one disgusting blighter, I’m a lover, not a fighter/‘Cause way down deep inside I’ve got a dream!”

The bar broke into scattered applause. 

“Do I hear an encore?” Wade sang out. There were definitely more boos this time but Wade was grinning. “I know you want one! Aaaaaand I know one day romance will reign supreme!/Though my face leaves people screaming/There’s a child behind it dreaming/Like everybody--” he was cut off by Drax socking him in the stomach, which made the pub erupt in cheers.

“Thor would like to quit and be a florist,” Jessica chuckled, pointing at the large blond viking man arm-wrestling. “Gamora does interior design. Drax, the guy who just punched Wade is into mime. Sif’s cupcakes are sublime. Bruce Banner knits, Elektra sews, Vision does little puppet shows. And Jennifer Walters,” the Soldier looked at where she was pointing to see a muscular, incredibly strong woman with a green tint to her skin grab Thor’s hand in an arm wrestling match and win almost instantly.  “collects ceramic unicorns.”

“Why are you telling me all this?” the Soldier asked. 

“These guys are awful. Violence wise, their hands are not the cleanest. Neither are mine. But they’re not inherently bad, though some of them like breaking femurs. They all have dreams. Just like you. Wanting to see the kingdom that bad-- that’s a dream.”

“What about you?” he looked at Natasha. 

“Me?”

“Yeah,” Jessica grinned. “What’s your dream?”

“Somewhere warm and sunny…” Natasha mused, a small smile playing on her lips. “Tanned and rested and alone. Surrounded by enormous piles of money.” The Soldier softly grunted. Natasha looked up. The corner of his mouth twitched, and he shifted his feet. 

“I’ll get Luke to pack some water for you, why don’t you come back down to the bar before you leave?” Jessica said, walking down the steps. Natasha and the Soldier followed behind, slightly more relaxed than before.

“You look good, Soldier-boy!” Wade grinned, adjusting the hood on his head. “New duds, it’s a whole new you!”

“Hmph,” the Soldier grunted. Natasha was about to make a snide comment to Wade, when the door slammed open, the group of guards who had chased Natasha through the woods stomped in. Natasha and the Soldier ducked down behind the bar, keeping their heads lowered.

“Where’s the Widow? Where is she?!?” the sergeant demanded. “I know she’s in here somewhere. Find her, turn the place upside down if you have to!” The Soldier grabbed Natasha’s arm as she tilted her head up to see who was there. The Sergeant, the Archer, three more guards, and behind them (in chains) were Batroc and Rumlow. They looked in their direction and Natasha slipped back down into the shadows. 

“Hello,” Luke Cage folded his arms. “How can I help you today?”

Jessica gently kicked Widow with her boot. Natasha looked up, and Jessica slightly nodded her head toward the cellar door. If they were quick, they could make it through. Natasha tapped the Soldier, who had his eyes tightly shut and was taking deep quiet breaths. He opened his eyes, looking at her and then to where she was pointing. He nodded at her, and Natasha nodded up at Jessica. Jessica’s hand flicked out suddenly and a glass fell to the stone floor next to them, shattering. “Oops!” she said loudly. “My fault!” She crouched down and hissed, 

“Go you two. Live your dreams.”

“I will,” Natasha smirked. 

“Oh your dream stinks,” Jessica teased. “I was talking to him.”

“Thanks,” Natasha rolled onto her knees to crawl to the door. 

The Soldier reached forward to gently put a hand on Jessica’s knee. “Thanks for everything,” he said quietly. 

“Of course. Come back anytime,” Jessica nodded. The Soldier moved to follow Natasha, and Jessica put on her best and brightest fake smile. “I think I recognize you, young man-- is your name Peter?” 

 

★★★★★★★★★★★★

 

Hercules pushed Deadpool in front of the guards. “I believe  _this_  is the man you’re looking for.” He smiled his most charming smile. 

“You got me!” Wilson cooed and winked. 

One of the guards hurried down the stairs. “Sir, there’s no sign of Black Widow.”

“Or Lucky?!” Clint Barton exclaimed. 

  
“Or-” There was the sound of a loud bark and scratching at the pub door. Lucky burst in, tail wagging, panting, and ears perked. 

“Lucky!” the archer cried, dropping to his knees and holding out his arms. Lucky yapped, but ran past Barton, to the cellar door. 

“Lucky!?! What the--”

“Barton! He’s got the scent!” Wilson grinned, following the dog and pulling open the door. “I bet there’s a passage- C’mon, Barton let’s go! You three,” he turned back to the remaining guards with their wanted prisoners. “Make sure they don’t get away!” 

Barton and Wilson ran after Lucky. 

 

★★★★★★★★★★★★★

 

The bar was silent, and the three guards leveled their weapons at the prisoners who exchanged a look. With three different moves, Crossbones and Batroc the Leaper were able to incapacitate them. The bar goers averted their eyes. This wasn’t their business.  

“Play it safe….” Crossbones grinned. “Or go get the crown?” Batroc grinned maliciously.  “Mmmhmm.” Rumlow nodded. They stepped over the unconscious guards and left the Snuggly Duckling. 

 

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

 

“So, Natasha,” the Soldier began, “where are you from?” 

Natasha chuckled, adjusting her grip on the torch. “Sorry, Muscles, I don’t do back-story. However I am becoming very interested in yours. Now I, I know I’m not supposed to mention the tower.”

The Soldier grunted.

“Or the Doctor.”

Another grunt.

“Frankly I don’t know where to start about the arm,” Natasha teased. “But here’s my question: it really wasn’t too hard to figure out an escape, and you’re clearly stronger than most men. Why haven’t you escaped before?”

The Soldier stopped in his tracks.   
“What are you doing?” Natasha asked.

“Shh...”

The ground seemed rumble as the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps got louder.

“Widow!” the guard shouted.

“Run!” Natasha grabbed the Soldier’s hand and pulled him, and they both sprinted through the tunnel. As they emerged into the afternoon light, Natasha scanned their surroundings. She knew this was the water dam, the supply for the kingdom. It loomed above them as the canyon lay below them. There was a crash that echoed through the canyon as a wooden door burst apart with the entrance of two thugs wielding swords. Natasha realized with a jolt of horror and a gasp that they were Batroc and Rumlow, wielding swords.

The Soldier pointed at them. 

“Batroc and Rumlow. They don’t like me.” Natasha explained. They whirled around to face the pair of guards emerging from the cavern. 

The Soldier looked at her. 

“King’s Guards… they really don’t like me.” Natasha explained. 

“Oh please, Widow-- we love you!” the light haired one drew an arrow back. “Given us quite a workout!” 

“Shut up, Barton!” the sergeant snapped, leveling his crossbow. “Black Widow, for high crimes against the crown prince of--”

“Woof!” Lucky bounded through their legs and straight toward Natasha. The Soldier tensed and stepped forward with his arm outstretched to guard her, but she dropped to her knees below. 

“Lucky!” she and Barton said in unison. Lucky jumped up and licked her face. 

“Lucky, get back!” the sergeant yelled, his finger on the trigger. 

“No!” Barton shouted, as Natasha was suddenly yanked up from the ground and into a strong pair of arms. The Soldier took two steps backwards then ran forward. Natasha clung to his vest, closing her eyes tight as she felt the wind whistle around her. 

The Soldier let out a breathy cry as he landed on a nearby shelf of rock. Natasha slipped out of his arms as he fell to his knees. 

“Are you okay?!” she asked, grabbing his right arm. 

“Fine!” The Soldier growled. “Go!”

“WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT NO KILLING?!” Barton was yelling at his sergeant. There was a large “CRACK!” and suddenly one of the supports of the water dam fell. The rest of the dam started to crack and groan, and water started to spring. 

Natasha pulled on his arm to get him on his feet, and they kept running. There was another drop and Natasha skidded to a stop, then saw the wooden sluice. “Down this!” She leaped in and began to slide. The Soldier crouched in after her, letting his boots bounce down the wood, and guiding himself with his left arm behind him. The sluice wasn’t gonna hold both of their weight, and Natasha felt the support under her shudder and begin to fall. 

“Jump!” the Soldier urged. “Jump, Natasha!”

They both leaped, and fell onto the hard stone below. “Stop right there, Romanoff!” Rumlow shouted. Then the dam burst. Hundreds of thousands of gallons of water were now added to the groups chasing them. 

“Soldier!” Natasha shouted. 

“Right behind you,” the Soldier responded. “That tunnel, there!” The Soldier picked up Natasha again, and put on a burst of speed. 

They made it into the tunnel as the first bit of water touched their feet, and the Soldier put her down. “We’ll make it to high ground,” Natasha panted. “And then we’ll--”

Suddenly the tunnel entrance was sealed with a colossal crash and everything went dark.

“The water is coming in fast,” the Soldier snapped, flinging his fists against the giant boulder. “We have to find a way out.”

Natasha started searching the walls, moving her hands up and down the rocks to find a weak spot. Anything that could help. The water was at their waists now. 

The Soldier took in a deep breath, and dove down. Natasha reached down and tugged on the Soldier’s arm. He came out of the water, smoothing his wet mop of hair back off his face. 

“There’s no point,” Natasha put her hands on his shoulders. “It’s pitch-black down there.”

“This is my fault,” the Soldier growled. Voices ran through his head. 

_You’re a monster. You killed them. You’ll never be anything more than a nightmare under the bed._  

“I’m sorry, Natasha.” The soldier hung his head, closing his eyes. The water was nearing his chest now.

“Natalia,” she said quietly. “My real name is Natalia Alianovna Romanoff. Someone might as well know. I’m not a good person. You don’t need to apologize.”

“I’m a monster,” the Soldier said, his voice rising with every word. “A monster with a mechanical arm! I think I’ve killed people! I’m a monster!” He swung his arm at the rocks. Natasha stood back as he pummeled the rocks, closing her eyes as the water reached her neck. 

It reached her chin, her nose, and Natasha took one last deep breath and closed her eyes. 

She barely felt the water pressure change, an arm wrapping tightly around her waist and the Soldier pulling her through the hole in the cavern he made. They were sucked and dragged by the water draining out, and Natasha felt the warmth of the setting sun on her face for just a moment before back into the water. 

She woke up on a riverbank, her breath finally back in her chest and her entire body wet. 

“We made it,” the soldier panted. 

“You’re shot!”

“Where are we?”

“You’re shot!”

“Natalia.”

“You’re shot!” 

“It’s fine,” he reached behind him and pulled the arrow out. 

“Soldier! You can’t just-!” 

“Yes,” the Soldier reached down and helped her stand up. “I can.” He turned around and showed her the wound. It was halfway closed, and wasn’t even bleeding. 

“What?” Natasha breathed. 

“I’ll show you.”

  
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really do love these remixes :)
> 
> Kudos/Comments make my whole day! 
> 
> <3


	4. The Guards, The Ball, and The Boy with The Star

 

“King’s Guards… they really don’t like me.” the Widow said. Clint grinned, she was brilliant. 

“Oh please, Widow-- we love you!” he drew an arrow back. “Given us quite a workout!” 

“Shut up, Barton!” Sam snapped, leveling his crossbow. “Black Widow, for high crimes against the crown prince of--”

“Woof!” Lucky nearly knocked Clint over as he ran to Widow’s side. The man stepped forward as if to guard her, but she ducked his arm by dropping to her knees and greeting the dog.  

“Lucky!” she and Clint said in unison, as he lowered his bow. Lucky jumped up and licked her face, the traitor!

“Lucky, get back!” Sam yelled, his finger on the trigger. Clint saw the look in his eyes, and started forward to try and mess up his shot. 

“No!” he shouted. The man put his back between Widow and them, taking an arrow below the ribs. The man picked Widow up and took two steps backwards. Sam knocked another arrow and Clint pushed his arm up as he tried to shoot. The arrow flew up, and Clint yelled, “WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT NO KILLING?!” 

“That was before they were about to escape, again!” Sam cried, but Clint could see the regret in his eyes. 

Lucky barked, and Clint and Sam looked up as one of the supports of the water dam fell, an arrow embedded deeply in the wood. 

“Shit!” Sam said. 

“C’mon!” Clint grabbed his arm and they ran back the way they came, Lucky following behind.

They ran through the maze of caverns, making it back to the cellar door and entering the pub. The guards and the prisoners were gone, but Clint and Sam barely noticed as they quickly strode out of the pub and to the outside. 

“What the hell were you thinking?! Shooting them wasn’t the mission!” 

“I wasn’t. I’m sorry,” Sam panted. “But- but did you see that guy?”

“Yeah, he was a badass,” Clint said while scratching Lucky’s ears. 

“I think the Prince is looking for him.”

“Why?” Clint asked.

“I think he might be… an old friend,” Sam saw the man’s piercing blue eyes in his head, like the ones he saw when he was a child. 

“Okay,” Clint nodded. “We’ll ask when we find them. Lucky, you think you could do it again?”  

If dogs could sigh out of exasperation, Lucky would have. He chuffed softly and stood up, shaking himself and beginning to sniff the air. 

 

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

 

“So are you gonna explain how your back looks almost brand-new, or are you just gonna build a bigger fire?” Natasha asked.

“Sorry,” the Soldier sighed, sitting down on the tree limb next to Natasha. “Look, it’s this.” He pulled out a vial, filled with a blue serum that was almost luminescent in the dark. “I was repeatedly given this. It’s some serum distilled from something. I was never allowed to ask questions, but this is all I know from the Doctor. When you drink it, or it’s injected into you using a needle-- it helps. It makes you stronger, it heals wounds. It doesn’t taste good, but--”

“Hold on,” Natasha held out her hand. “May I?” The Soldier shrugged, handing her the vial. “It’s glowing. Kind of.”

“I don’t know why.”

“How long have you known about this?”

“As long as I can remember. I was supposed to guard the tower. The tower that guards the vials. They’re a gift, and they have to be protected… That’s why the Commander never left me… That’s why I never left the…”

“You never left that tower.” Natasha finished. 

“Your real name is Natalia Alianovna Romanoff?”

“Well. I’ll spare you the sad story of poor orphan Natalia Alianovna Romanoff, it’s a little bit of a… that’s a little bit of a downer.”

The Soldier grunted, and when Natasha looked up he was smiling a little. She had never seen him smile. 

“I grew up in an orphanage, a special one for girls. And it was cold and dark and I was trained in dance. Over and over. And I was also trained in murder. Fighting and killing for my teachers when they wanted me as a weapon. I was controlled, I was manipulated. And when I escaped, I needed to change something. My name, my hair. Thievery got me money, and the ability to anything they want to do. And for a girl, with nothing, I don’t know. It just seemed like the better option.”

The Soldier was quiet, staring into the fire. Natasha nudged him gently with her elbow. “You can’t tell anyone about this, okay? It could ruin my whole reputation.”

“Hmph. That would be awful.”

“Was that sarcasm?” Natasha asked, smirking. 

“Hmph,” the Soldier smiled again. 

“Alright, well, I should get some more firewood.”

“Hey,” the Soldier got her attention. “I think Natalia is a beautiful name.”

“Well, then you’d be the first… but thank you.”

Natasha and the Soldier locked eyes, each one studying the other now with the realization of shared experience.

Natasha broke their contact first. “I’ll be back soon.”

“Okay,” the Soldier said. She turned and walked into the dark of the woods. The Soldier listened to her footsteps getting fainter, and turned his attention to the fire. 

“Well, I thought she’d  _ never _ leave.” An accented voice made the Soldier leap to his feet, his heart already racing with fear while his hands were steady.

“Doctor.”

“Soldier.” Arnim Zola stepped out of the shadows, pulling his hood down and looking at him through his spectacles. 

“How did you find me?” the Soldier growled, his hands clenching into fists.

“Easy. Traitors are easy to track,” Zola’s flickered over his body like a rat about to tear apart a bird. “You have one option here, Soldier. Come home. The Commander never has to know.” 

“He wouldn’t?” The Soldier furrowed his brow. “No. I have a responsibility. I’m never going back.”

“Ah, to the wanted thief. I’m sure the Commander would love to hear about this!” Zola laughed, what the Soldier recognized right before a particularly painful piece of torture. “Beauty and the Beast. Do you think she likes you? She’s terrified! You’re not even a full man. You don’t even remember  _ who you are _ ,” he hissed. “You are blackmailing her!”

“I’m not--”

“If you don’t come back with me, the Commander will find you. And you and I both know how much he loves games.” The firelight flickered off his glasses, and the Soldier shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.

“I am staying here. You cannot make me go.”

The Doctor smirked, pulling his hood up. 

“We shall see, won’t we? Good luck.” He turned, and almost instantly disappeared back into the shadows. The Soldier let out a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding. 

“Hey, uh… question!” Natasha’s voice called from the other side of the forest. The Soldier inhaled and exhaled, trying to calm himself down. “Is there any chance that the vial gives you super strength? Cause that would be awe--” She caught sight of the Soldier, standing and looking into the distance. “Everything okay? What do you see?”

“Nothing.” the Soldier replied, sitting back down on the log. “Just thinking.”

“Ah, I see,” Natasha said, putting down the pile of wood she had collected and sitting on the ground in front of the fire. As she stretched her arms and legs, she and the Soldier fell back into comfortable silence. “I’ll take first watch, if you want.”

“I don’t think I will sleep.”

“Suit yourself.”

 

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

 

A bark woke Natasha in the morning, making her sit up and look around. The Soldier was already awake, tense and coiled, like a cat ready to pounce. Then a big furry blur came bounding out of the bushes toward her.

“Lucky!” Natasha exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”

“Black Widow! By order of the Kingdom of--”

“You two?” Natasha interrupted the voice from the trees. “I really hope you’re here to apologize.”

“Lucky! Quit fraternizing with the enemy!” the archer stepped forward, his bow raised. Lucky licked Natasha’s cheek. 

“Sit boy, sit. Good boy,” Natasha instructed the dog. “Please don’t let your owner kill me.”

“Aw, Lucky! Bad dog,” the archer sighed. “C’mon Sam, we can’t hurt them.”

“Black Widow. We have to place you under--” the sergeant, Sam, was interrupted by Natasha pointing a finger at them.

“Look, today is kinda the biggest day of this guy’s life. So you can’t arrest us. Just for twenty-four hours and then  _ I’ll _ turn myself in. Happy?” The Soldier looked at her, and Natasha nodded. 

Sam glared, folding his arms. 

“Fine. But on one condition. He has to meet the Prince.”

“Why?” the Soldier asked. 

“I think the Prince has been looking for you.” Sam said.

“What?”

“Aren’t you James?” Sam asked. Natasha looked at him quizzically. 

“Are you saying you think Soldier is the Starboy?” 

“Who is the Starboy?” the Soldier asked.

“Just answer the question,” Sam said.

“My name is Soldier. That is all I have ever been called. That is all I know,” the Soldier said. The archer came over to Lucky, sitting down next to him. 

“My name is Clint Barton. That’s Sergeant Sam Wilson, and you’ve already met Lucky,” he said. “What should I call you? I only know you by your calling card, Black Widow.”

“Natasha. And he’s the Soldier.”

“He seems a little intimidating.”

“As is the point.”

“Well,” Clint stood up, Natasha following suit. “He can’t look that scary going into the kingdom. He’d draw too much attention in our idyllic little land.” Clint rummaged in his quiver and pulled out a bit of broken bowstring. “Here, just pull your hair back.” He held it out to the Soldier, making him exchange a look with Natasha. 

“I’ll help,” she said, standing up on the log so she could reach his head. Her lithe fingers were incredibly gentle as she combed through the Soldier’s long tangles. She gently pulled it back out of his face, and secured it back with the string. “There you go,” she murmured.

The Soldier grunted in acknowledgement. Lucky barked as bells rang faintly in the distance. 

“The kingdom is this way,” Sam said, clearing his throat. “We can make it there in an hour if we leave now.”

“Let’s go,” the Soldier said.

As Sam led the way with Lucky and Clint took the back, the Soldier leaned slightly toward Natasha.

“I won’t let them take you.”

“Wasn’t planning on it, Soldier,” Natasha said, a smile playing on her lips for a moment before she looked up at him with concern. “But do you really- you don’t think you’re James?”

“All I can remember as a child was watching the lanterns… I think there was another boy once… he had gold hair. A kind smile. But I don’t--” Natasha could see the frustration under his skin as he clenched his fists and frowned deeply. “I don’t remember.”

“It’s okay. It’ll be okay, Soldier.”

  
  


★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

 

The kingdom made Natasha uneasy. Its bright and picturesque townspeople, the cheeriness of it all. It seemed too good to be true. Clint Barton moved up beside her. 

“If anyone asks, you aren’t the wanted thief Black Widow… you’re my friend from the kingdom of Asgard, here to attend the Prince’s ball,” he murmured. 

“Your friend, huh?” Natasha asked. “That’s bold of you.”

“Hey, bold times,” Clint grinned. “How did you two meet, anyway?”

“Your dog can tell you the story,” Natasha shot back. The Soldier was overwhelmed by it all as well. The sights, the sounds, the smells. 

“Woohoo! Kind sir, are you in the market for some fresh fruit?” a woman waved a hand over a crate of apples. “Best in all of the kingdom!”

“Soldier?” Natasha appeared at his side. “Do you want one?”

“I--I don’t know,” the Soldier admitted. 

“We’ll take two,” Natasha said, reaching in a pocket and pulling out the coins to pay for them. 

“No stealing?” Sam asked.

“Please. You really think I steal from people who don’t deserve it?” Natasha grumbled, handing the apple to the Soldier. “Bite into it. It’s good.”

“You’ve never had an apple before?” Clint asked innocently.

“He’s not from around here.” Natasha said as the Soldier took a large bite of apple, the juice falling down his chin. He grumbled slightly, but Natasha could see his blue eyes light up. They continued walking down the marketplace street, the Soldier asking soft questions every once and a while and Natasha patiently answering them. 

“What is that?” he said, pointing at a nearby wall. Natasha followed where he was pointing and saw a mosaic of a dark haired boy carrying a blue and white star. She led the way toward it, taking small bites of her apple.

“When the Prince got really sick, legend says a boy from the kingdom made a deal with a star to save him. His life for his. And every year the kingdom celebrates the Prince’s health, as well as sends lanterns into the sky to thank the boy who… healed him.” Natasha looked up at the Soldier with wide eyes. The glowing blue vial. His memory. The pieces fit together too well to be coincidence. 

The Soldier narrowed his eyes and cocked his head to one side. “It wasn’t a star…” he murmured. “It wasn’t…”

“Hey! Soldier!” Clint called out. “We have to hurry if we’re going to make it to the kingdom before the party starts. Then we’ll  _ never _ find the Prince.”

“C’mon,” Natasha put an arm gently on the Soldier’s. He didn’t flinch. “We just will see the Prince, and then figure everything out. 

 

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

 

“Damn it!” Sam slammed the back entrance door. “He hasn’t returned from his trip. And when he does, Sharon says they’re not letting him do anything else but prepare for the ball. What are we gonna do?” 

The Soldier and Natasha exchanged a look, as Clint cracked a smile. “I guess we’re going to a ball!” he declared. “C’mon, I have a plan.”

  
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna continue to add chapters until someone tells me to stop
> 
> Thanks for reading! <3 Let me know what you think!


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